The Edge Insider Blog

Spring Edge Insider 2009

So amazing and inspiring to see the emergence of spring, to feel the pulse of the earth increase it’s rhythm through growth, longer days and the return of bird song. To watch this process occur here, the Northern Edge Algonquin has evoked a well of ideas and new creation that must move forward.

Within our retreat based yoga practice there is a place within that we can access stillness, sink in and listen. What does the body speak of? What is your body story and how might we honor the old story and create a new one. As the old layers fall away we are left with a blank canvas in which to experiment with movement and stillness. I believe we have only possibilities and I hope you can join me this summer for our Yoga Intensive from August 27-30, to dive in deeper to your authentic self, to uncover or increase your life purpose and share in the splendor of nature, it’s rhythm and our innate connection to it! As always we invite you to join us for our Quest for Balance: Yoga and Sea Kayaking Retreat. New this year, we’re offering folks the opportunity to get the great Edge Experience while staying on a raised wooden platform under a large protective tarp, in your own tent. Consider our other comfy accomodations as well (above).

Latino Feel with “Gregor’s Food Trail & Tales”

The Edge kitchen is run very much like any home kitchen where care and attention are found at the top of the ingredients list. Of course this is the case in terms of making things from scratch, but what I want to highlight here is the way leftovers fit into the culinary equation.

In particular, this is a story of how some leftovers figured fairly prominently in the last meal of an Edge program. This is also a story of why when guests ask me for a recipe, I can’t really share any details … although I truly wish I could.

To read more about Greg’s tasty meal from or last Basic Shamanism program click here.

Rattle Making in 11 Shorts Steps

You will need the following basic materials to complete this project, but obviously if you wish to decorate your Rattle you will need various additional materials to do so. We will look at decoration at the end of this article.

Rawhide, large enough for 2 sides

Cord

Fine sand

Stick of approx.’ 11″ length and 1″ dia’.

Araldite glue. (optional)

Strong thread

Pebbles to put inside the Rattle

Soak your hide it in cold water until it becomes floppy, then lay it out flat somewhere to dry sufficient to be able to draw on it with a pencil. Put these shapes back into the water to soak.

Take your handle and shape it. Use a craft knife for this, and sand it down if you want a fully smooth finish.

You could varnish or wax it at this point.

Take your two rawhide shapes from the water and sew them together, edge to edge. Don’t sew up the neck- the narrow end, as that is where the handle will go, and in through which you will stuff the sand shortly to shape the head. Use a good strong thread for this- either waxed cobblers thread, or strong button thread.

Once you have the head sewn together, it has become a bag with a narrow opening like a balloon. Pour sand into the head, and stuff the sand into the head, force it to ‘inflate’. As you do so it will form into the shape that you need. Then stand it neck up, somewhere warm to dry out.

Once it is sufficiently hard and dry pour the sand out.

Put pebbles into the head, insert your thumb into the hole to keep the pebbles in, and experiment with shaking the Rattle to hear what sound it makes. Pour these pebbles out and keep them to one side ready for use.

Stand the head in a cup of water, so that only the neck is in the water as you want to make the neck flexible, but not soak the rest of the head and deform its shape. Once the neck is sufficiently flexible to be pliable, put your saved pebbles back in, then put the head-neck over the handle.

Once the neck of the rattle head dries apply araldite to the joint.

Once the head is on the handle, and while it’s still wet, bind the cord around the neck as tightly as you can.